Actually, there was oil in Somalia, which contributed to US involvement in the region. But yer right, unless their is a side benefit, or a direct threat (like, hahaha, Iraq), the larger powers don't get involved purely for altruistic reasons.
Why didn't we help these women?
by Tatiana 21 Replies latest social current
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Country_Woman
Double Edge,
t's seems like the European countries that use to "administer" these former colonies are VERY silent.
Congo was from Belgium - and as I remember it, there was a bloody war to throw the Belgium's out.
I figure that they are not jumping to burn their hands (and every other part of their body) again.
To be honest, I should'nt know how to help these poor women, since most of the time tribal conflicts are at the roots of this misery.
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Satanus
A few decades ago, bertrand russel wrote about the idea of using the usa as a global cop. The usa was a good candidate, he stated, because of the absence of a long term culture. So, here you are, manipulated into this position by guilt, shame and blame. Of course, the factors that captainschmideo named are also are in play.
Read about it @ http://www.questionsquestions.net/docs04/russell.html Partial quote:
"The first time this idea occurred to him was towards the end of the First World War when he argued that America should use its superior power to insist on disarmament: 'The mixture of races and the comparative absence of a national tradition make America peculiarly suited to the fulfillment of this task."
S
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lawrence
Forgive us Lord, for we know what we do - see, accept, and choose to forget. Mary, mother of God, have mercy on us. All of us.
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Gill
What goes on in Africa, such as these abominable atrocities is what would go on anywhere in the world without, what we call in the UK, the thin blue line.
The thin blue line is the police force. It's what separates us only just from anarchy. There' s your problem in Africa. There's no accountability, not even for their usually corrupt leaders, no good justice system and so no hope. But we're all just a hairs breadth away from the same kind of treatment.
As imperfect as they are we should all breathe a sigh of relief that the members of the thin blue line are out there tonight because God help us if they weren't, and then he probably wouldn't either, just like Africa!
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Double Edge
Lest we forget who used to "run" Africa:
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Badger
Dubya: "Now, we can't be the world's policeman and take care of every little thing that happens to dark women...That would send mexed missages....Now watch this drive..."
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Tatiana
I can't fathom in my wildest imagination what is inside of a man that he can do these things to women and children. I wonder what would happen in any country if the "rules" were suspended and all bets were off. With no one watching, and no consequences for whatever you feel like doing....I wonder what would happen........anywhere.....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3426273.stm
She averted her eyes. Urine covered her feet.
Vumi suffers from incontinence, and cannot sit down because of the pain, the result of a horrific rape incident last October.
The victims have suffered, but they want their stories told.
"The attack happened at night, and we were forced to flee into the bush," she said, in a voice barely more than a whisper.
"Four men took me. They all raped me. At that time I was nine months pregnant."
"They gang-raped me and pushed sticks up my vagina - that's when my baby died - they said it was better than killing me."
The men then stole her few belongings and her community, unable to live with the smell, shunned her.
Now she hopes only to be healed.
In a country ravaged by war, where rape is used as a weapon and having a gun means you can act with impunity, Vumi is not alone.
Spending only a few hours in Kitchanga, a small, sleepy village supplemented by many refugees of this conflict, we met many other women with equally horrific stories to tell, but who wanted such stories told.Quote:
Kahindo Ndasimwa, dressed in little more than rags, told of how militia attacked her village one night two years ago, forcing her to flee into the bush.
The 40-year-old was then repeatedly raped by four men - their legacy a continual stream of urine down her legs.
Bahati Ndasimwa, a 24-year-old with a round friendly face - but eyes that told of torture - said she was raped by too many men to count.
Her community then also rejected her.
Furaha Mapendo was staked to the ground with her legs splayed by 10 men, who then had their way with her.
With her eyes staring fixedly at the ground, the 24-year-old told of how the men pushed sticks and various objects into her for an entire night, six years ago.
These women all suffer from vaginal fistula, a medical condition found in countries with poor health infrastructure, which is usually a result of poor childbirth care.
In this part of the world, it is caused by violent rape.
The walls between the vagina, bladder and anus are torn, resulting in severe pain and debilitating incontinence.
"We have many stories like this that make us shed our tears," said Jeanne Banyere, or Mama Jeanne to all who know this remarkable woman.
Medical aid
Mama Jeanne - who also looks after 62 orphans - is one of a handful of dedicated people from the Women's Protestant Federation that network these remote parts of the Congo, providing counselling and hope to these women.
They are often the only chance these women, ostracised by their communities, have of getting to Docs (Doctors on Call for Service) and getting the vital operation they need to rebuild their vaginas.
Docs runs a medical centre in the centre of Goma, a large town with little infrastructure situated close to the Rwanda border.
It provides training through experience for local doctors while helping the community.
Faced with an increasing number of women in desperate need of this operation, but lacking resources, facilities and space, Docs has erected two big white tents in their compound.
The tents are full of women waiting for their turn on the operating table.
'Bad things'
It is here that we found Dr Longombe Ahuka, a 48-year-old father of three.
Dr Ahuka is no stranger to the war; he says he saw "so many bad things"
Dr Ahuka is the general surgeon at Docs tasked with undertaking this delicate operation.
Together with two other doctors he has trained, this team has performed reconstructive surgery on more than 90 women, allowing them to return to their communities.
He was forced to flee from the hospital he was working in when it was attacked by armed militants.
Hundreds were killed and the hospital looted.
"I saw so many bad things, it is an honour for me to also be able to repair [them]," he said.
'Savagery beyond imagination'
The women waiting face a double blow.Quote:
Associated with rape is the risk of being infected with HIV.
Of all the cases Dr Ahuka dealt with between May and October last year, 24% were HIV positive.
Women's dignity
Safari Masika was waiting for her second operation when we met her.
Up to four operations are needed for complete reconstruction
Depending on the severity of the injury, up to four operations are needed for complete reconstruction.
Wrapped only in a green bed sheet, the diminutive woman told of a brutal attack, one which had left her with a miscarriage and isolated from her community.
Looking me straight in the eyes, this proud 42-year-old mother of eight told of how, after this operation, she would once again be "able to stand with other people and praise God".
The men who perpetrated this violence will probably never be brought to justice.
But for the brave women we met, at least this operation gives them the opportunity to once again live their lives in dignity. -
Realist
I can't fathom in my wildest imagination what is inside of a man that he can do these things to women and children. I wonder what would happen in any country if the "rules" were suspended and all bets were off. With no one watching, and no consequences for whatever you feel like doing....I wonder what would happen........anywhere
we forget that we are nothing more than semi intelligent animals.
did you see the incident at an US highschool where girls mistreated other girls? there you have the answer as to what could happen if the rules were suspended. humans can easily be led down the path of terror, rage and brutality.
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Sunnygal41
Knowledge is power. I just sent the link to 10 other women friends of mine.
In Lakech,
Terri Blue Raven
